The Hawk and the Raven: Burning Ember
by star29818
Summary: A forgotten prophecy hangs over the clan cats at the lake, and a new evil is coming from further east. The two cats from the prophecy must travel to the clans to fulfill it. But will they? Set between New Prophecy and Power of 3.
1. Prologue

_The moonlight filtered down through the _trees in an ancient forest. Names such as Firestar, Onestar, Blackstar, Leopardstar, Tigerstar, or even Sunstar, had not even been thought of as of yet. A chilling past filtered through a small circular pool in front of four cats. And an even more chilling future lay ahead of them. Grant it, they could not see very far ahead, they could still see death, destruction, and hatred.

An eerie wind blew through the trees. It blew coldly against the four cats, ruffling the pelts of a thick-furred black she-cat and a long-furred silvery-gray tom. Four sets of eyes, one of amber, one of yellow, and two of green, stared over the still water, watching the scenes play out.

A sleek and wiry brown she-cat, the beholder of the yellow pair of eyes, shifted as she felt the wind. "Feel that? Even the wind foretells the evil of which to come."

A muscular tom, his pelt the color of the autumn leaves that fall from the trees in leaf-fall with big white paws and amber eyes, nodded somberly. "You speak the truth, Windstar. The wind bites as fierce as any warrior tonight."

The shadowy black she-cat with green eyes snorted. "Oh please. You feel nothing but the wind. And because of what you've seen in the water, you're finding things to relate to this so called 'doom' that's supposedly coming."

Windstar's hackles rose as she stood and stared defiantly at the other she-cat. "Well, excuse me, Shadowstar, if not all of us are as black-hearted as you and your band of black-hearted warriors!" She spat furiously.

Shadowstar's fur bristled as she hissed right back at the other she-cat. "And excuse me if my clan and I just happen to be hardened to what frightens everyday, silly, weak excuses for warriors that call themselves _WindClan _cats such as yourself, Windstar!"

Enraged and the insults to her clan from the former ShadowClan leader, Windstar made ready to attack before the tom from earlier placed himself between the warring she-cats. His amber eyes blazed with disapproval.

"And you call yourselves StarClan! StarClan sets itself above normal, everyday clan disputes, not fighting about like rival kits!" He spat angrily.

The silver gray tom, whom had been sitting in the background watching the dispute, yawned. "Oh, Thunderstar, why not let them fight? They can't kill each other, we're already in StarClan, anyway. Besides, it would save a lot of bickering later on."

Thunderstar turned his amber gaze to the tom. "Just because you would let them battle it out, Riverstar, does not mean _I_ will."

Riverstar just shrugged and sat back down, licking his paw. "Whatever. Would have made an awful racket, either way." He sighed, then looked back at his fellow cats. "But while we're here, what shall we do about this 'doom and gloom' that will befall our descendants?"

Shadowstar shrugged. "Leave them to it, I say. They have brains - let them use them for a change, rather than giving them hints and warnings all the time. They're grown cats, they can handle it for once in their lives!"

Riverstar's eyes then blazed, showing his characteristic love for his clan. "You must surely be joking. No cat, least of all your _ShadowClan_, could solve this out! We should warn them, I say."

Windstar's eyes glared in contempt for the ShadowClan she-cat, her tail lashing furiously still as she faced Thunderstar. "I agree with Riverstar. We should give them as much a chance as we can." She turned her yellow glare back to Shadowstar. "Even if _some_ cats do not deserve to be warned."

Shadowstar's claws dug into the ground beneath their paws. "But this is seasons and seasons into the future! How could any of the cats that live this day be able to warn the cats this danger effects?"

Thunderstar's big white back paw reached up to scratch a bothersome itch beneath his chin as he thought of his answer carefully. Before he could, however, Riverstar beat him to it.

"Easily, Shadowstar." The tom answered as he curled his tail about his paws. "We tell the medicine cats to simply pass the warning down the line, until it reaches the generation effected."

Windstar nodded in agreement. "Yes, simple as that."

Shadowstar narrowed her eyes into a sly smile. "Yes, yes, _simple as that_. And what should happen if, oh, maybe a medicine cat _simply _forgets this omen, and never passes it along? What would happen then?"

Thunderstar answered this time. "We can revisit said medicine cat, of course."

"It's not that easy!" Shadowstar insisted as her tail lashed, her eyes glowing angrily as she stamped a front paw. "Nothing is ever this easy! Do you fools not understand that? Something is bound to go wrong -"

"You're just being negative, Shadowstar." Windstar rolled her eyes skyward. "Really, sometimes things go according to plan." At this, she smirked. "Just because your _final_ argument did not end with your victory - actually, it ended in your _death_, didn't it? I thought so - does not mean other things you set out to do will be failures."

Before the black cat could hiss her reply, Thunderstar interrupted yet again. "Windstar, Shadowstar, honestly. What foolish ways for clan leaders - the _first_clan leaders, mind you - to act!" He looked at Shadowstar, who had a glare of planning revenge on her face. "Shadowstar, you _are_being negative. As Windstar said, sometimes things _do_come easily, though we don't expect them to." He turned his amber glare to the still-smirking brown she-cat. "And you, Windstar, were severely out of line. Clan leaders do not spite, nor call out other leader's failures."

The black she-cat turned away, her green eyes full of contempt, muttering. "Since when did we agree to let this over-grown _ThunderClanner_ tom become leader over us?"

"For once, I agree." Windstar muttered, turning away to lick her paw and swipe it over her ears a few times to restore her dignity at being scolded by the big tom.

Riverstar got a good purr out of the three's exchange. Unfortunately Shadowstar noticed, and immediately crouched into a pouncing position, unknowingly beside the pool. "If you have something amusing to share, why don't you -" Her green gaze had accidentally strayed to the waters calm surface, and she immediately halted mid sentence.

The other three gathered round, Riverstar staying on the other side of Thunderstar and well away from the angered she-cat, trying to see what she saw.

Her green eyes never left the water as she spoke.

"_Hawk and raven shall become one, saving all cats from the unending stripe and the great evil it commands._"

--

Seasons and seasons later, the cats of the clans had settled into their new home by the lake. It seemed to have been made for them, a long-deserved peaceful home after the hardships of the great journey. The four clans had braved the weather and seemingly hopeless times that had passed on them, and now they were near thriving. There was plenty of prey to feed all for clans and more, plenty of woods, open spaces, marshes, and water.

It was night, one of the first since they had arrived at the new place. But one cat, a fiery ginger tom with green eyes, stood on a tall hill, overlooking WindClan's territory, but beyond that, the mountains. And their old home.

His thoughts were clouded, he never even sensed another cat joined him until she rubbed against his shoulder. He snapped out of his staring-trance and looked down at the light ginger she-cat. Green eyes met green eyes for a moment, before the she-cat broke the silence.

"What's wrong, Firestar?" She mewed, her tone worried. "You've been up here for a long time."

The tom, Firestar, sighed. "It... It just doesn't feel right tonight, Sandstorm. It feels like something's gonna happen. Something bad."

Sandstorm purred good naturedly and entwined her tail with his. "You're worried because we had to leave Graystripe, and Ravenpaw didn't want to join us. They were your best friends, Firestar, it normal."

Firestar turned his head from her and settled back on the mountains. "It's not just that. It just feels like... Like when Bluestar banished Tigerstar. How I always felt he was watching me, just behind my back. Like there's an evil here."

Sandstorm sighed and gazed in the direction his was staring, at the mountains and beyond. "Tigerstar's dead. He's been dead for a long time, now. You saw him die, Firestar." She gazed up at him until he turned to look at her. When his green eyes met hers, she continued. "Where'd that brave kittypet I once knew, the one insistent on becoming a warrior, go?"

Firestar didn't answer at first. He turned back to the mountains. Then, after a moment, he stood and looked at his mate. "You're right. I'm probably just worried over Graystripe." He gave her his best smile as he re-entwined their tails. "Come on, let's get back to camp before the clan misses us." With that, they walked back down the hill, pelts brushing and tails twined together.

But Firestar could not help one last lingering glance at the mountains.

--

Nukpana, or Pana to many, tossed and turned in his sleep. His blood-red fur becoming brown from the dirt he slept on, his paws and eyes twitching. Suddenly, his brown eyes opened and he bolted up onto all four paws. His tail was between his legs, and his muzzle hung open in a pant.

He had been dreaming.

Pana turned and looked around frantically. No, he was still in his den, a dug-out hole in the wall of the ditch he and his pack called home. Same dirt floor, walls, and ceiling. Same scents. He looked out of the hole, seeing the familiar dens scratched out of the walls, housing his braves, the females, and the pups and mothers. Nothing was wrong. His sentry was still there, looking bored as ever. No attack, no losing, none of his braves dead.

He began growling. _Stupid dreams_! He turned to go back into his den, but stopped short. In front of him, was the figure from his dream.

A big brown tabby cat with amber eyes.

Pana immediately went into a crouch, baring his teeth in a snarl at his enemy. "You!"

"Yes, me." The cat answered snidely.

"Who, Chief?"

Pana whipped around, still snarling, to face Kinu, the sentry that had been posted for the night. The black wolf with his brown muzzle and paws stared at his leader, not giving an inch.

"Can't you see it?!" Pana growled.

"See what?"

Pana studied the other wolf. Kinu had been truthful, ever since he had taken over the pack, a wise asset to Pana. "No one." He finally answered. "Get back to your post."

Kinu nodded his head, eyes narrowed as he walked back to the center of the pack's home.

Pana turned back to the cat, who's tail was twitching amusingly.

"Can't see me, can he?" The cat asked. "Poor Pana. Or should I say, _evil_?"

Pana growled. "Shut up, _cat_."

"Actually, I won't." The tabby purred as he moved to rub against Pana's foreleg. "There's nothing you can do to stop me."

The growl grew into another snarl. "Oh, you think I won't attack?"

"Oh, you'll attack alright." The cat answered. "But you won't kill me."

"You must not understand, when I attack, I finish the job." Pana's lips curled up, baring his white fangs.

"But you can't." The cat said again. "I'm already dead."

Pana was momentarily taken aback by that. "A spirit-cat? No. It cannot be. Only High Gods come back to the pack as spirits. Not cats." His snarl returned.

"You have a thing against cats, don't you, Pana?" The cat continued, ignoring him. "Well, I know a place where _lots_ of cats are. Cats you could slay to your hearts content."

Pana studied the cat. "Who are you, cat, that you would betray your brethren?"

The cat's eyes narrowed evilly. "I have no brethren, only enemies. And as for who I am..." The cat unsheathed it's claws, digging them into the dirt. "I am Tigerstar."


	2. Chapter 1

_It was sun-high. The golden _orb shone down through the treetops of her dream forest, casting an enchanting look around her.

A brown-and-red she-cat crouched in the brambles, her pelt blending in with the shadows. Her bright amber eyes shone out of the darkness, watching her prey; a small shrew, nibbling on the berries which grew among the bramble bush. She was downwind from her quarry, giving her the element of surprise.

She crouched even lower in the darkness, her tail-tip twitching silently behind her. Her ears were pricked to every sounf the shrew made. She could hear it's teeth mashing together when it chewed. She could even faintly hear the little creatures heartbeat.

She crept closer, silent and careful. When she was a little more than a paws-length away, she gathered herself to pounce.

Still silent, as leapt into the air, claws outstretched, ready to take the life of the shrew, when -

"Oomph! Ember! Ember, you mouse-brain, get off me! And by the fur, sheath your claws!"

She was suddenly awake. Her amber eyes stared down into the dark brown eyes of her brother, whom was beneath her paws. She quickly backed away, sheathing her claws as he had asked her to do. "Sorry, Talis." She mewed. She looked around and sighed sadly.

She was still here.

She was still trapped in the twoleg house. Around her, moldy yellow walls which gave off an acrid smell stood rotting. Beneath her was a hard substance, which twolegs called tile, and it too was rotting away and smelt horribly. Above her, the once-white ceiling was chipping away, showering debris down to the floor.

Lining the top of the walls were cabinets, boxes with holes and doors that Lady put her food in. On top of these, several still-feral cats perched, looking angry, trapped, and mean, while others, the more timid, hid inside them. Lower on the walls, were flat surfaces called counters, they had once been red, but now they were an awful looking brown, stained beyond belief.

And on the floor were several bowls, which served as feeding dishes for the many cats. And a few automatic water bowls served their drinking needs. All bowls were empty. Had been, for a couple of days, now.

At the far wall, an open space, lay several cat beds, all overstuffed and fluffy, like twoleg pillows. Very uncomfortable to sleep and lay on.

No more dreams. This was the harsh reality. The reality she wished to escape from.

"Dreaming _again_, Ember?" Talis asked moodily, shaking his thick cream-colored pelt.

"Is it so bad to dream, then?" She retorted, a bit snappishly.

"It is when you go from harmlessly mewling in your sleep to pouncing on your unsuspecting brothers with unsheathed claws." He snapped right back. Then he began to wash himself, straining his neck to lick his ruffled back and lay the fur down. "Honestly, Em. And you wonder why no one will sleep around you."

"Hey, hush up down there, kits!" A gruff hiss came from the cabinets closest to them. "Some of us are still trying to sleep."

Ember glared up to the cabinet. The nerve! They were almost two-years-old, now, not kits.

Talis sensed her frustration, sighed, and placed his tail-tip on her shoulder. "Come on. Pinky, Killer, Scarlette, and Matti should be awake by now. We'll leave old grumpy Gull to sleep the day away."

She cast one last glare up at the cabinet, then turned and followed her brother out of the kitchen.

They padded down a short hallway, then went into a room known as a living room to twolegs, sometimes called a den. They walked over to another flat surface, called an end table, and leaped up, joining two other cats.

"Hey Pinky, hey Killer." Ember greeted her older sister and younger brother.

Pinky, a dark cream she-cat with light brown, almost amber eyes, went to nuzzle her sister. "Hey Ember."

Killer, on the other hand, rolled his dark brown eyes. "'Bout time. Between you two, Matti, and Scarlette, I don't know which one sleeps longest." His pelt was mostly brown, with a few flecks of red. He was laying on the far left end of the table, stretched out leisurely.

"Oh, be quiet," A pure black cat with blue eyes and one cream-colored patch over his left eye and ear jumped up beside them, followed by a dark red she-cat with one gray eye and one amber eye. "If anyone in this group sleeps the most, it'll be you, mister king of the catnap!"

"Finally!" Killer exclaimed. "Now everybody's here."

Scarlette, the she-cat, sighed as she sat down on Ember's right side. "Yes, we're all here."

Matti, short for Matthew, rolled his blue eyes as he sat near Pinky. "And for once we're not waiting for _you_, Killer." He moved to sit in front of the window. "So, what'll we do t'day, chaps?"

Ember walked over infront of the window beside him, and placed her paws on the invisible boundary, facing the outside world. "The same thing as yesterday, I guess; sit here."

"Oh come on, that's so lame." Killer yawned. "Let's play a game or something."

"What kind of game?" Talis asked from where he sat on Scarlette's other side.

There was a silence that followed his question. Then, sitting up, Killer looked at his older brother. "How should I know? I made a suggestion, you cats are supposed to decide what to do with it." Then he flopped back down, closing his eyes and pretending to sleep.

"Typical Killer." Mattie rolled his eyes. "But we -"

"What are you kits up to?" A voice carried from the ground. "I could hear you lot all the way under Lady's couch."

Six heads poked over the edge to see Cream; Talis, Pinky, Ember, and Killer's mother. She had a thick, almost white colored, pelt, and dazzling brown eyes. While she was getting older, she was still agile, as she displayed as she leaped up onto the end table with ease beside her grown kits.

Killer, being the youngest, tried to duck and run, but Cream was faster. She curled her tail around his shoulders to bring him closer, and though he was almost bigger than she was, she set about giving him a good licking. Between licks, she asked questions.

"So, what _are_ you young ones doing that must be so loud?"

"Trying to figure out what to do." Scarlette answered simply, purring quietly at the angry, annoyed, and basically unhappy faces Killer was making. "It's so boring here."

"Why don't you sit and watch the cars go by outside the window?"

Ember rolled her eyes. "Because we did that yesterday. And the day before that. And the day before that. And -"

"I think she gets it, Em." Matti spoke.

Cream had paused in her licking, allowing Killer to escape as she glared hard at her daughter. Before she could say anything, however, Pinky walked up and rubbed against her mothers shoulder.

"She's right, Mom. We don't have anything to do." She gave her youngest brother a glare. "And _he_ wanted us to play games, like we were still kits!"

"Hey, we gotta stay in shape somehow!" Killer protested, rolling around and trying to get his fur back to it's usual messiness, instead of the smooth way his mother had groomed it. "And how else than playing?"

"Like hunting." The words were out of Ember's mouth before she could stop them.

Scarlette was the only one to give a positive reaction to the idea for a moment. "Yeah, that also keeps your senses strengthened and it takes care of any hunger."

After the red she-cat had spoke her piece, Matti and the others quickly disapproved of the idea.

"Are you crazy? _Why_ would _any_ cat want _blood_ on their food!"

"Not to mention their claws! Eeww!"

"She's not crazy, Matti, she's _insane_. This has _got _to have something to do with those dreams you've been having, isn't it, Ember?"

Killer, however, pondered the idea for a moment. Then he looked at his sister, eyes wide. "Dude! Let's do it!" He jumped to the floor and began stalking a bowl that Lady had set food in. He had his rear lifted up into the air, his tail-tip twitching, and moving jerkily.

Scarlette rolled her eyes and jumped down beside him, cuffing his ear. "For one; you don't know _how_ to hunt."

"Ember doesn't either!"

"Yeah, but she'd probably be better at it than you." Scarlette muttered. "For another thing; you _don't_ raise your rear like that. _Close to the ground_. You have to crouch, make yourself low. And another thing; quit twitching your tail. If you were _really_ hunting, it would have already twitch the grass or leaves, giving away your position."

"Oh, leave him alone, Scar." Talis jumped down, followed by Matti, Cream, Pinky, and Ember last. "He won't take anything seriously, you know that."

"This is true." Matti agreed. "Come on, let's go get something to eat, then maybe we'll be able to think better than we could on empty stomachs." With that, he led the way to the kitchens. The three siblings followed him, but Cream went back under the couch.

Ember placed her tail-tip on Scarlette's shoulder, keeping her from joining the others. "How do you know so much about hunting?"

Scarlette shrugged. "Before the twolegs found me, I lived out on the street with a bunch of other cats. So I had to know how to take care of myself, otherwise I would have starved."

"Oh." Ember meowed, a light shining in her eyes as she did. "I know it'll be difficult, seeing as how there're no prey around here, but do you think you could teach me? I mean, show me hunting techniques and stuff."

Scarlette thought about it, her own eyes dimming a bit, then she nodded compliantly. "Sure. We can start tomorrow, I guess." And with that, the two she-cats trotted off to the kitchens.


	3. Chapter 2

_Morning._

The sun rose in the sky, turning the darkened sky to bright blue, orange, and pink.

Inside Lady's house, however, it was still fairly dark, where there were no windows. The kitchen was the only room brightening from the sunrise, seeing as how it was focused to the east.

At the far end of a hallway, beneath an end table, a cat slept. Her black-tinged paws curled up beneath her, and her red body warm. She slept peacefully, not yet ready to wake into the world around her.

Another she-cat, however, _was_.

She moved skillfully through the shadows, careful not to give away her position. Her maroon-colored fur blended in with the darkness, just as it had in her dreams. She gracefully stalked closer, each paw stepping silently on the mushy rag carpet beneath her. She pricked her ears forward, and narrowed her eyes in a triumphant grin at her upcoming victory. Her tail-tip twitched anxiously. She neared her quarry, and when she was about a leap away -

"Come any closer, Ember, and you can forget about the lesson today."

Ember sighed. "What did I do wrong? I tried to stalk quietly, like you told me. And I even kept my tail down!" As if it had a life of its own, her tail lashed about animatedly.

Scarlette sat up and stretched her forepaws, then turned her half-amber-half-gray gaze on her friend. "Well, technically, you weren't downwind. I smelled you the whole time."

"Oh," Ember mewed, padding forward and sitting in front of the end table. "I'll get you another day. So, what're we doing today?"

Scarlette thought for a moment. "Well, I've already shown you stalking poses, how to scent, and, as you demonstrated, how to move silently."

"Aw, there has to be something more, right?" Ember meowed as she laid down in a flourish. "Come on, Scar, think of something."

"I'm thinking, hold on." Scarlette mewed. "Wait a minute, we never covered fighting techniques, did we?"

Ember shook her head. "No, no fighting." She perked up at the thought. "So this means I get to learn how?"

Scarlette nodded. "I don't see why not. I had to know how to put up a good fight when I lived out there, so I guess I should teach you how."

Ember's tail twitched at it's tip. "Where can we do it?" She meowed eagerly as she got up.

Scarlette stood beside her. "I suppose the kitchen; it has the most room."

"Let's go then." Ember mewed, and the two she-cats began trotting down the hall and into the kitchen. When they got there, however, a lot of the cats were there getting their breakfasts. Matti, Killer, Pinky, and Talis being among them.

As soon as the two cats walked up, Matti immediately spotted them. "Hey, you two, come to get breakfast? You'd best hurry - Lady just came out to put fresh out!"

"Lady actually came out today?" Ember asked disbelievingly as she looked at her brothers and sister.

"Yep," Talis mewed. "She even put fresh water out too." Then he went back to eating his fill.

"You shoulda seen her, Em. She's _ugly_." Killer meowed with his mouth full of the cat food Lady served them. "She walks bent over on her two legs, and has weird gray fur, and no teeth! And she's all wrinkly, and -"

"Thanks, Killer, for that delightful description." Scarlette mewed. "But we have a lesson to get on with, right, Ember?"

"Oh, yeah," Ember agreed. "I'll see you guys later."

"What lesson? What're you two doing?" Pinky asked, speaking after she had swallowed.

"I've just been showing Ember the skills needed to survive," Scarlette explained. "You're welcome to come along if you want."

"What're you learning now?" Talis meowed.

"We've covered all the hunting moves and such, and now she's gonna teach me how to fight." Ember mewed in reply. "Safely, of course. No claws." She added that last little bit for her sister's benefit.

"Cool, can we watch?" Killer asked, his tail lashing about.

"If you promise to stop your tail from distracting us, then I don't see why not." Scarlette meowed her permission.

"I'll come too, if you don't mind." Matti added.

"Me too," Talis meowed. "It sounds interesting."

"Well, I'm staying here." Pinky mewed. "Don't see why you'd need to learn how to fight anyway, I mean, who are we going to fight here?"

"Okay, Pinky. You don't have to come." Ember mewed. "But I'd prefer to get on with it before it gets dark."

"Em, it's barely morning. It won't be dark for a while yet." Talis meowed. "So, where do you plan on having this lesson?"

"Probably over there, by the beds." Scarlette answered, flicking her tail toward the left of the room. "More open space there."

"Good idea," Matti agreed. "Well, let's be off, then." And with that, the five cats walked off toward the beds. When they got there, they realized that while four of the six beds were empty, two were being used: one by an old, mangy, grumpy she-cat, the other by a she-cat and her three kits.

"What're you cats doing?" The old cat, a mangy tabby with dull gold fur, asked with a growling voice from where she lay, curled up comfortably on a fluffy bed. "Bad enough to disturb old bones like mine, but to disturb a nursing mother? Dreadfully rude."

"They're not bothering us, Wingnose." The mother, a brown she-cat with dark brown flecks, mewed quietly. She nudged the three kits next to her. "These little ones could sleep during a storm."

"From what I hear there's going to be one," Matti answered as he sat on the bed beside the nursing mother and her kits. "See that red and black she-cat? She's gonna teach the darker red-and-brown she-cat to fight."

"Hmph," The older tabby snorted as she tucked herself deeper into the bed she was in. "Just keep it quiet. Cats these days," She continued muttering incoherently as she closed her eyes and settled in for her nap.

"Don't mind old Wingnose," The brown she-cat meowed. "She's always this cranky. My name's Samantha, and my kits are Heather, Tansy, and Colt." Her tail brushed a white, red, and tan calico she-kit, a golden brown she-kit, and lastly a little brown, gold, and white tom kit as she said the names.

"I'm Matthew, Matti for short. This is Talis and his brother, Killer. That's their sister, the dark brown and red one, Ember. Then the other she-cat is Scarlette." Matti introduced them as the brothers climbed in the bed beside him and sat, watching the two she-cats. Matti, however, kept his attention focused on Samantha. "It's a pleasure to meet you, miss." He meowed graciously, while Samantha just purred pleasantly and turned back to watch the two other she-cats and the lesson.

"I never knew Matti could be such a flirt," Ember mewed quietly to Scarlette as she watched the others.

"You'd be surprised at what a tom can do when he decides to," Scarlette mewed back. "But that's enough gossiping, let's get to our lesson." She crouched in a pouncing position in front of Ember. "I'm going to come at you, and you defend yourself best you can. I want to see how much you know already."

"Okay," Ember shrugged. "Whatever you say." She crouched down identical to Scarlette, matching her every move, ready for her lesson.

Without warning, Scarlette sprang on Ember, claws sheathed, and tried to wrestle her to the ground. She attacked with her front paws, trying to batter her opponent to the ground.

Ember instinctively dodged from the strikes, and parried with her own paws, her claws also sheathed. Scarlette was ready for this, however, and effectively dodged, then jumped to the side as Ember charged.

"Aw, come on, Em. You can do better than that!" Killer cried. "Let 'er have it!"

"Quit egging her on, Killer. It's just a practice." Talis admonished his brother with a light cuff on his ear.

Killer, however, turned and looked at his older sibling, with a mischievous light in his eye. "Cuff my ear, huh? I'll show you!" And with that, the two brothers rolled right out of the bed and onto the floor in a mass of fur and batting paws.

Matti looked on and shook his head, looking back at Samantha. "Dreadfully immature, that Killer. Always looking for a game to play."

"Like you never go along with it!" Ember meowed playfully, turning her attention on them. Matti just glared at her.

"Bad move, Em." Scarlette meowed as she sprang on her from behind, raking sheathed paws down her side. Ember lashed out with her back paws, battering Scarlette until she backed off. Once the two she-cats were squared off again, both panting for breath, ready to go over it again, they were interrupted.

"You flea-bitten rat! You cheated!"

"I did not, mangy excuse for a cat!"

"I'll get you for that!"

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah!"

Four heads turned to see Talis on top of Killer, pinning him down. Killer was desperately trying to unpin himself, but to no avail. He hissed and spat at Talis, trying to get him to let him up, but it was useless.

"Let me go, you big furball! You're squishing me!"

"And let you get the chance to pounce me again? You're crazy." Talis meowed in response, putting more pressure on Killer's shoulders where he was pinned down.

"Talis, let the poor cat go." Matti tried. "You've won this round."

"Cheater," Killer muttered as he sat up after Talis agreed to letting him up.

"You're the one who started it!" The cream colored tom yowled.

"What's this?" They had made the mistake of being too loud, and in turn they woke up Wingnose from her nap. "What's happenin'?" She meowed drowsily. Then she realized what had woke her up. "I thought I told you cats to stay quiet!"

"We're sorry, Wingnose," Samantha hurriedly mewed, hiding a purr or two. "We were only having fun."

"Fun, hmph!" Wingnose growled as she stood and got out of the bed. "I'll find some place quieter to nap." And with that, muttering as she went, she walked away.

The six cats purred quietly as they watched her go into the living room. Scarlette trotted up to Samantha and looked at the kits. "How old are they?"

"About a week," Samantha answered. "My sister's been helping me take care of them."

"What about your mate?" Scarlette mewed again. "Isn't he around to help you?"

Samantha looked down at her kits. "Mickey escaped a while before they were born. Lady went outside and he slipped out beside her. He hasn't come back since."

"Well, who's your sister?" Killer asked. Talis and Matti glared at him, but he was lost on it.

"Faline," Samantha answered. "Over there, the gray she-cat with the darker gray spots and flecks. See, by the water bowls?"

"Oh," Ember mewed, looking at Scarlette. "Are we going to continue the lesson, or quit?"

"We could always do it again tomorrow," Scarlette shrugged and laid down on the third bed, the one Wingnose had been using. "I'm tired."

"Me too," Ember meowed, laying beside her.

"What's got you all so lazy?" The turned to see Cream padding towards them. Killer tried to duck behind Matti and Talis, but they instantly parted to his mother could see him. And when she did, every cat in Lady's house knew it.

"Killer! What on earth happened to your fur!"

* * *

Yes, I finally finished it! I wasn't too sure about the ending, but I got positive comments from Faith and Nikki (my cousin who has an account on here, her PN is on my pro), so I decided to leave it. It was actually done a few days ago, but a camping trip, then staying at Faith's house and talking about basically nothing except for Animorphs and ED, then watching Jackie Chan and Jet Li, well, I didn't have time to post until now. Enjoy!


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